618 expats embrace Islam in Riyadh

The Office of Call and Guidance in north Riyadh reported on Monday that 618 people from France, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar and Ghana had embraced Islam.

Deputy Director Sheikh Abdul Hakim Al-Jasser said that the reversions occurred only in the first quarter of 1436. Thanks to incentive programs, the reversions were made because of special programs carried out on a regular basis.

He said these programs included the “Great Promise Forum” designed for the expat communities during which 12 forums were organized, attended by 927 people, with 97 of them embracing Islam.

Another program was “Outreach Preaching Yours” at expatriates’ accommodations in north Riyadh; this program was sponsored by the Saleh Al-Rajhi Endowment. He said that during the past three months the group had made 43 missionary tours and targeted 1,294 people with 119 accepting Islam as their new faith.

He added the number of internal and external lectures and lessons which were carried out in several languages was 800, attended by more than 29,000 people both male and female.

He said that during the course of these programs, the office distributed 5,000 books, audiotapes and translated pamphlets. They also organized seven Umrah trips, which benefited 350 people from among the new Muslims as well as others.

He added that his office had visited sick people in major hospitals in Riyadh.

Al-Jasser spoke about women’s programs during the first quarter of this year. In the “Women’s Concern” program, there were 188 visits by women to various expatriate women’s work sites in the north of Riyadh. He said that 34 women had embraced Islam because of this program.

Another program designed for domestic helpers at the shelter of “Social Affairs Center” included 21 visits with 9 women embracing Islam as a result of the visits.

According to him, 507 people benefited from these programs and 279 assorted gifts were distributed.

Al-Jasser concluded by calling on philanthropists to support these activities and programs to ensure the continuity of their successes.